Something about the Bird’s Nest makes Martin Rooney take flight. The British team captain was not initially selected for the 400m despite being the reigning European champion – he made it in only on appeal – but he looked hugely impressive as he dipped under his personal best set seven years ago at the Beijing Olympics to make it through to Monday’s semi-finals.
But such was the strength in depth of Rooney’s heat that his time of 44.45sec – a PB by 0.06 – was good enough to qualify only as a fastest loser after he finished fourth behind the Saudi Arabian Yousef Ahmed Masrahi, who ran an Asian record of 43.98.
Yet Rooney, whose wife Kate is due to give birth to their first child on Monday, knows he may have to go faster still in the semi-finals. “I came in to run fast, and I knew I was going to have to run 44-high,” he said. “But to run 44.4 and come fourth just shows where the standard of athletics is. Now I need to come back and do it all again, and maybe even better.”
Rooney will be joined in the semi-finals by his compatriot Rabah Yousif who ran 45.24 to win his heat, but Jarryd Dunn is going home after a disappointing 45.49.
One of the most consistent and impressive British athletes this year has been Laura Muir and the 22-year-old confirmed her talent by reaching her first world championship final with a clever tactical run in her 1500m semi-final.
After finishing third in 4min 07.95sec behind the Ethiopian world record holder Genzebe Dibaba, Muir said she was happy: “It went pretty well. I just needed top five and it was one of my best races tactically. I just need to take my confidence in that into the final.”
However, there was frustration for Laura Weightman who had to withdraw from her 1500m semi-final beforehand because she suffered a concussion when she tripped in her opening heat on Saturday.
Nick Miller was another Briton left frustrated on Sunday night. The 22-year-old, who was considered a lively outsider for a medal in the men’s hammer after looking impressive in qualifying, fouled his first attempt, threw his hammer into the netting on his second, and managed only 72.94 on his third to finish 11th of 12 finalists.
“I’m very disappointed,” he said. “I was focused on my throw but I’m not happy as it wasn’t what it should have been. I just didn’t really feel. I don’t know why. I’ve just got to go back, train harder, become better and make my worst throw better than it is. This season has gone well – this is the only meet that hasn’t got well this year.”
There was better news for the Commonwealth and European 400m hurdles champion Eilidh Child, who qualified for the semi-finals by finishing second behind the reigning world champion Zuzana Hejnova, and Meghan Beesley, who also got through after setting a personal best of 54.52. “I’m really happy,” said Beesley. “I’ll probably be thinking about it in a bit, but I’m so tired right now. Personal bests hurt.”
Niall Flannery’s 400m hurdles campaign came to an end at the semi-final stage after he finished fourth in a time of 49.17.
Meanwhile David Rudisha showed signs that he is edging back to his best with a controlled performance to qualify for the men’s 800m final. Rudisha led from the front to hold off Musaeb Abdulrahman Balla and the Commonwealth champion Nijel Amos. Amos, who was the favourite for the 800m before the championships, missed out on the final after failing to secure a fastest loser’s spot.
